Manny Ramirez Goes 0-For-2 in Oakland Athletics Exhibition Debut

Oakland Athletics' slugger Manny Ramirez had a less than stellar first day on the job.

By User shgmom56 on Flickr (Originally posted to Flickr as "DSC03222") [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Ramirez took two at-bats in the A's Cactus League opener and grounded out both times, including into a double play in the bottom of the first inning. He was the starting designated hitter for that game.

Although Ramirez struggled at the plate today, he told ESPN he felt good.

"At least I was seeing the ball pretty good," Ramirez said.

Ramirez signed a minor league deal worth $500,000 back in February. If he makes the big-league club, Ramirez will have to serve a 50-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy.

As for Ramirez's new green-beanied wardrobe?

"I like the white uniform. It's beautiful," Ramirez told ESPN. "My friends, they'll be calling, 'Man, you look so good in green.'"

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Before you all bring out the "I told you so" comments, consider this...

It was Manny's first baseball game in a year. He has not faced live pitching in a real game since the very beginning of last season, and it is a good sign that he even put the bat on the ball today.

Does this mean he is going to start mashing the ball like he did back in his heyday? Definitely not, but if he can give the A's .265, with 20 home runs and 75 RBI, I think Oakland would be very happy.

The bottom line is it is simply too early to tell how Ramirez will do this season based on one preseason game. Even the best of the best go hitless in a game, and look way worse than Ramirez did, but the first game is always overblown simply because there is no past history to go by.

Ah, the quandary sports sometimes is. Strap em' on folks. It's going to be a bumpy ride with Mannywood in town.

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Will Manny be a contributor for the Athletics this season? Was today's two failed at-bats a microcosm of Manny's 2012 season? Or do you think Manny will tear it up this season?

Will Ramirez do more harm than good for the A's? Will Manny be Manny?

Lastly, is an opening game (whether it be opening day or the preseason opener) overblown too much by the media or is a good start crucial to a baseball player's success.

We will find out as the soap opera called a 162-game baseball season unfolds. Stay tuned....

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Manny Ramirez coming to the Bay Area

By Vince Cestone

According to Pedro Gomez of ESPN, the Oakland Athletics have agreed to sign free-agent slugger Manny Ramirez to a minor league deal.

Photo Courtesy of NBC Bay Area

Ramirez is expected to report to spring training by the end of the week. The deal is worth about $500,000 if he makes the club out of spring training.

There is a slight catch to the deal. Ramirez must serve a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy for the second time in the last four years, making him eligible to join the A's on May 30--his 40th birthday.

Ramirez played in just five games with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011 before he was suspended. He announced his retirement shortly after, but has decided to come back to baseball in 2012 with the A's.

Ramirez's last good season came with the Dodgers in 2009, where he posted a .290 batting average, with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs in 104 games. He was traded to the Dodgers at the 2008 trade deadline from the Boston Red Sox.



Ramirez owns 555 career home runs (14th on all-time list), with a career .312 batting average and .411 on-base percentage in 19 big-league seasons. His Hall-of-Fame status is questionable due to the previous drug allegations.

Despite his recent struggles, Ramirez has always been an on-base machine, the type of hitter A's General Manager Billy Bean has been known for cherishing. Ramirez fits Bean's "Moneyball" formula, as he has maintained a .400+ OBP in his last three full seasons.

The A's have not reached the playoffs since 2006, where they were swept by the Detroit Tigers in the 2006 American League Championship Series. The A's hope to rebuild their offense after signing the Cuban slugger Yoenis Cespedes, who expressed interest in playing with Ramirez according to ESPN.

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I think the Ramirez deal is a good signing for the A's, especially at the $500,000 price tag. It's a low-risk option for a team who was desperately looking for an offensive spark (although they signed Cespedes, the Cuban defector is a question mark until he plays in a major league game).

If Manny performs in spring training, he simply does his thing as a DH when he gets back from his suspension. If he stinks it up in the spring, you let him walk.

I was a bit surprised Ramirez took such a low-ball contract. You know, with Manny being Manny, that always means big money--and more fanfare.

I think another consequence of Manny's signing is more fans at the Coliseum. Ramirez filled up Dodger Stadium when was traded there in 2008, giving the Dodgers an extra 3,000 fans on average per game.

Only time will tell if the soon-to-be green-beanied Ramirez will help the Athletics get back to respectability in the AL West, but with Manny Ramirez, nothing is ever for certain.

Will the signing of these sluggers be enough to compete in the American League West (Albert Pujols to the Angels, etc.)? Will Manny return to form? What effect will Mannywood have on the Coliseum and A's fans? Are you excited about the deal?

One more good question to discuss. Which offense is better? The A's or the Giants'?

Curious to hear your thoughts below!

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Information from The Associated Press and ESPN were used in this report.

MLB Opposes Dodgers’ Bankruptcy Filing/FeedCrossing.com

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

By Diehard Sports Fans

The Los Angeles Dodgers situation was thrown into further disarray on June 28 when a bankruptcy judge granted the club’s owner Frank McCourt interim approval to borrow $150 million so he can pay the players and cover the rest of the bills until the end of the year. There’s also a scheduled hearing for July 20 to decide whether an alternative loan offer from Major League Baseball should be approved for the Dodgers instead.

The Dodgers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 27 and MLB objected to the procedure saying it was opposed to the $150 million debtor-in-possession loan. The league’s attorneys told the bankruptcy judge that it would provide the money for the Dodgers via its own banks and would give McCourt better terms than the J.P. Morgan hedge fund will.

When it filed the objection, MLB stated that the league would offer a no-strings attached and cheaper solution to McCourt’s financial problems over the next year. According to MLB, the original conditions of the hedge fund loan will see McCourt charged 10 percent interest as well as an additional fee of $4.5 million. However, the hedge fund then agreed to lower the fee to just $250,000 as an exit fee if the judge decides to go with the loan offered by MLB, which will charge just seven per cent interest and no extra fees.

MLB has blamed the club’s current financial situation on McCourt as they said he’s been using the franchise’s funds for his personal use. The league also said that McCourt didn’t have permission from Commissioner Bud Selig or when he filed for bankruptcy, which is an MLB requirement.

MLB also wants the court to look into some other things, such as if the case was filed properly, and if McCourt is eligible to keep control of club during the bankruptcy process. The league also said publicly that McCourt and his ex-wife Jamie siphoned more than $100 million for family us, which disregarded his debtors and the interests of the Dodgers and baseball in general.

They went on to say McCourt put his personal interests before the club’s and not being able to cover the payroll is a result of it. However, McCourt and his debtors say Selig is to blame since they refused to approve McCourt’s multi-year deal with Fox TV which would have injected millions of dollars into the franchise immediately and $3 billion over the life of the deal.

It’s believed the Dodgers’ next payroll payment is $40 million with $8 million of that going to the retired Manny Ramirez as a deferred payment. McCourt is asking the judge to approve the proposed hedge fund loan as well as to open up bidding between media companies to for a new television deal.

Selig said he shot down the deal between the Dodgers and Fox because he didn’t feel it was in the best interests of baseball and the Dodgers. MLB is claiming that McCourt has filed for Chapter 11 to have the television deal approved and that he didn’t seek financial help from the league before doing so.

If approved, the Fox deal would have pumped $385 million into the club in an up-front payment to keep it afloat. Fox also loaned $23.5 million to McCourt personally to cover May’s payroll.

Link: http://diehardsportsfans.com/mlb-opposes-dodgers%E2%80%99-bankruptcy-filing

MLB Rumors: Ranking the Top 10 Free Agent Hitters Remaining on the Market

Many of the top free agents already signed with their new teams, but plenty of good talent is still up for grabs.

If there was one lesson to be learned from the 2010 World Series champion San Francisco Giants, it was that contributions can come from those in the bargain bin. While the current free agent list may not be the best to chose from, this collection of players might just become the next rag-tag group of misfits.

Currently, who is the top free agent out there? Will one of them help a team get into the playoffs and beyond?

Here is a ranking of the top 10 free agent hitters that remain on the market.

1. Vladimir Guerrero

Elsa/Getty Images

Vladimir Guerrero may be 35, but he can still hit like he's 25.

In 2010, his .300 average, 29 home runs, and 115 RBIs helped the Rangers get to the World Series. With these stellar offensive numbers, Guerrero is no doubt the best hitting position player on the free agent market.

Although he played a few games in the outfield in 2010, Guerrero is best suited for the DH role with an American League team, as shown by his abysmal outfield play during the World Series.

2. Manny Ramirez

Elsa/Getty Images

Manny Ramirez is no doubt best suited for the DH role, but he still has a quick bat that any American League team can use. In 2010, Ramirez hit .298, with just nine home runs and 42 RBIs in 90 games, but had a .409 on-base percentage.

Ramirez may not be the power threat he once was, but he is still a presence at the plate and is still feared by pitchers.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Many of the top free agents already signed with their new teams, but plenty of good talent is still up for grabs.
If there was one lesson to be learned from the 2010 World Series champion San Francisco Giants, it was that contributions can come from those in the bargain bin. While the current free agent list may not be the best to chose from, this collection of players might just become the next rag-tag group of misfits.
Currently, who is the top free agent out there? Will one of them help a team get into the playoffs and beyond?
Here is a ranking of the top 10 free agent hitters that remain on the market.




This article was featured on the blog Talking Giants Baseball.
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1. Vladimir Guerrero

Elsa/Getty Images

Vladimir Guerrero may be 35, but he can still hit like he's 25.
In 2010, his .300 average, 29 home runs, and 115 RBIs helped the Rangers get to the World Series. With these stellar offensive numbers, Guerrero is no doubt the best hitting position player on the free agent market.
Although he played a few games in the outfield in 2010, Guerrero is best suited for the DH role with an American League team, as shown by his abysmal outfield play during the World Series.


Click here to see Vlad's World Series outfield mishaps.

2. Manny Ramirez

Elsa/Getty Images

Manny Ramirez is no doubt best suited for the DH role, but he still has a quick bat that any American League team can use. In 2010, Ramirez hit .298, with just nine home runs and 42 RBIs in 90 games, but had a .409 on-base percentage.
Ramirez may not be the power threat he once was, but he is still a presence at the plate and is still feared by pitchers.

3. Jermaine Dye

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Jermaine Dye intends to play in 2011 and has been contacted by the Rockies, Phillies, and Rays.

In 2009, his last full season, Dye proved that he still had something to offer. That year, Dye hit .250, with 27 home runs and 81 RBIs.

Now, as Dye turns 37, Rosenthal said via twitter that he could be an intriguing righty bat. However, he is an awful defensive outfielder, but Rosenthal also tweeted that Dye will probably latch on somewhere.

4. Russell Branyan

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Branyan can hit the long ball, but struggles to hit for average or get on base. It is either outhouse or castle for him.

In 2010, Branyan hit .237, with 25 home runs and 57 RBIs, for Seattle and Cleveland. His career high is the 31 homers he hit in 2009.

Even though he strikes out a lot, he can still bring a little pop as a DH.

5. Johnny Damon

J. Meric/Getty Images

The latest on Johnny Damon was that the Angels and Rays were interested in his services, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. Heyman also noted that Damon, like many others on this list, is a defensive liability.

At 37 years old, Damon is best suited for the DH role. In 2010, Damon hit .271, with eight home runs and 51 RBIs for Detroit.

Heyman said the Angels could potentially stick Damon at the top of their lineup.

6. Jorge Cantu

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

The 2010 campaign was a down year for Cantu. In his worst full season as a big leaguer, Cantu hit just .256, with 11 home runs and 56 RBIs.

When healthy, Cantu can be a legitimate power threat. In 155 games played in 2008, he hit a career high 29 home runs.

Although he can play all around the infield, Cantu's best position is first base. He can, however, play second and third base, and he has even played at shortstop.

With Cantu's down season, he may be a cheap option on the free agent market. If he can stay healthy, he might rebound and put up decent numbers in 2011.

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The rest is coming on the next post.